Abdomen-supporting corset.



H. M. MCCORMICK.

ABDQMEN SUPPORTING CURSE]. APPLICATION FILED AUG-6. 1912.

1 ,1 90.250. Patented July 4, 1916.

UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH M. MCCORMICK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T UPLIFT CORET COMPANY, OF PHOENIX, ARIZONA.

ABDOMEN-SUPPORTING CORSET.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1916.

Application filed August 6, 1912. Serial No. 713,643.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH MALCOLM Mo- Coinnoic, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Abdomen-qupporting Corset consist ing of a combination of corset and belt sections, of which the following is a speclfication,

This invention relates to combination corsets and abdominal supporters, and particularly to the type of combined corsets and intra-pelvic abdominal supporters shown and described in the following United States Letters Patent, to wit: No. 869,797, dated October 29, .1907; and 1,006,862 and 1306.888, dated October 24. 1911.

Combination corsets and abdominal sup porters of the type to which my invention relates are designed to afford what surgeons term intra-pelvic abdominal support, which may be defined as a specific lifting and supporting of the contents of thelower abdomen, affecting limited front area thereof only=-in contradistinction to ordinary abdominal support, whichconsists in constriction and compression affecting the lower portion of the whole trunk.

' *imbination corsets and abdominal of the type to which my present 1 relates, the intro-pelvic supporters v tanned and known as corsetare attached to the corset 4 constructed and arranged ad usted to the figure, said corsetys pass me" and conform to the down wardrecediug cui e of the lower abdomen, when the sti f downward-di erged 7 nt edges thereof -c drawn toward each 40 other, by lacing. Jjl corset stays exert a diagonal, downward and frontward pull from the region of the waist in the rear of the corset, subjecting the intra-pelvically situated contents of the lower abdomen to a lifting action at substantially right angles to said downward and frontward pull, which lifting action forces said lower abdomen obliquely centerward and upward from the thighs and at the same time rearward.

While the combination corsets and intrapelvic abdominal supporters shown in United. States Letters Patent Numbers 1,006,862 and 1,006,888 are well adapted to accomplish the foregoing objects, I have found that, owing to the fact that the corsetstays which form the intra-pelvic abdominal supporters shown and described therein are initially attached to the corset proper at points too far forward in said corset, and 00 also possess too narrow a base, the pull of said corset-stays, under some conditions, causes the corset proper to draw and wrinkle under strain at. the lower front points of attachment of said c0rset-stays thereto, thus impairing the appearance, fitand comfort of the corset.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the foregoing objectionable features by providing intra'pelvic abdominal supporting corset stays in connection with a. corset, so constructed and arranged and attached to the corset proper that connecting and drawing toward each other the stiffened downward-diverged front edges of said corset-stays produces the desired intrapelvic abdominal lifting and supporting action, whereby the lower abdomen and its intrapelvically situated contents will be raised or pressed obliquely centerward and upward and at the same time rearward, said draw ing toward each other also operating to draw the lower edges of said supporting corset stays smooth and taut, without puckering or wringling said corset proper, and said intra-pelvic lifting and supporting action continuing till the lower edges of said corset stays are drawn smooth and taut, after which further drawing toward each other of said corset stays will produce con-' striction and compression only, which, however, cannot then materially affect the initial intra-pelvic abdominal lift and support.

I effect the foregoing objects by attaching the rear edges of the supporting corset stays to the back of the corset proper, preferably about midway between the median side lines and back edges of said corset proper, the upper ends thereof at points appreciably above the lower abdomen, preferably at about the waist-line, thence extending downward until even with or below the lower ends of the front edges of said corset stays, said corset stays being cut or shaped to provide sufficient fullness at the lower sides or edges thereof to permit an initial intraspelvic-abby stitching at dominal oblique centerward and upward and at the same time rearward lifting action of said corset-stays, as their stiffened, downward-diverged front edges are drawn to- Ward each other across the lower abdomen.

In the accompanying drawing, in which my invention is fully 1llustrated: Figure 1 is a plan view of the sections for building one-half of the corset proper;-Fig. 2 is a plan view of the sections for building one of the corset-stays forming the intra-pelvic abdominal view, in elevation, of a finished combination corset and corset stay of my invention, showing its back edges fully spread apart; Fig. 4 is a plan view of what I call the corset-stay stiffening-plate.

The lifting action of the free front ends of corset stays upon the lower abdomen tends to raise said corset stays, and this raising action, in patented invent-ions described in U. S. Letters Patent Nos. 1,066,862 and 1,006,888, exerts an oblique frontward pull by said corset-stays upon said corset proper at the lower front points of attachment of said corset stays to said corset proper, which causes said corset proper to draw and wrinkle at said lower front points of attachment. In my present invention, I have overcome this objectionable feature by curving or goring those edges of the corset-stay sections which are intended to be stitched to each other, greatly extending the length downward of the center and back corset-stay sections, to more fully include the sides of the lower portion of the abdomen and the adjacent hips, and attaching the completed corset-stays to positions much farther rearward in said corset proper, producing improved intra-pelvic abdominal .support, and superior fitting qualities for the entire garment.

To correctly build the corset proper, =designated, as a whole, by the reference-letter M, and the corset-stays, designated, as a whole, by the reference-letter K, to fit the figures of different wearers, said corset M and corset-stays K are made in separate sec tions, which corset-sections and corset-stay sections are then first separately connected their curved meeting edges, subsequent to which the corset-stays K are attached to the corset M. The back edges of the stays K are designed to be attached by stitching to the inner side of the back portions of the corset proper M, preferably about midway between the median side lines and back edges of said corset, the upper ends of the rear edges of said stays being attached to said corset proper at points a considerable distance above the lower abdomen, preferably at about the waist-line L of the c rset proper, the lower ends of the attached rear edges of said stays K extending downward into the skirt S of the corset,

support; Fig. 3 is an interior desirably even with or slightly below the lower ends of the front edges of the stays K.

To provide a connection of adequate strength between the corset M and the stays K, I preferably cover the jointure of said stays and said corset with boning and stripping X, in the usual manner.

To fit properly, the free front ends of the corset-stays must be diverged from their top corners downward, to make allowance for the diminishing girth of the intra-pelvically situated. base of the abdomen; and, to permit adjustment, the corset-stays must be relatively shorter than the corresponding Width of the overlying corset. It is the peculiar shape of my corset-stays, their stiffened lower front corners, their diverged front ends, their broadly anchored bases, their adjustableness, and their lesser length than the corresponding width of the over lying corset which, combined, effect, in operation, true intra-pelvic abdominal support.

When the corset is adjusted to the figure of the wearer, the unattached, downward-diverged front edges of the corset stays K conform to the downward-receding curve of the lower abdomen. When said downward-diverged front edges of said stays are drawn toward each other, a diagonal pull is produced, which acts, from the upper points of attachment of said stays to the back of said corset, downwardand frontward; said pull exerting, at the free front ends of said stays, a lifting action at substantially right angles to said downward and frontward pull, which lifting action subjects the lower abdomen and its intrapelvically situated contents to an oblique centerward, upward and rearward lift and support, thus accomplishing the intra-pelvic abdominal support desired. To insure that the downward extension of the rear edges of said corset-stays shall not interfere with the designed intra-pelvic abdominal lifting and supporting action of said stays, I make said stays with sufiicient fullness in their lower edges or sides, so that, as the free front edges 'of said stays are drawn toward each other,

they will operate, in the first instance, to produce the desired centerward, rearward and upward lifting and supporting action upon the lower abdomen and its intra-pelvically situated contents, with a simultaneous smoothing out of the lower sides or edges of said stays, said lifting action continuing until said lower sides of edges of said stays'are drawn flat and taut, after which further tightening of said stays will produce a constricting or compressing action, without, however, affecting the initial infra-pelvic abdominal lifting and supporting action. The binding 7-1 along, the edge of the stays enables them to withstand the tension developed during the above described operation, particularly along the lower edge. The corset-stays are of greatest width at the point of attachment thereof to the corset, and, from this point, the long tudinal edges of the stays, for a portion' of their length, are convergently curred. Thispeculiar construction I have found to be important.

In order that the flexible front edges of the stays K may not draw or wrinklemnder the strain to which they are subjected 1a use, stiffening-plate 7.: are secured between\the two thicknesses of fabric forming sectio'i N of corset-stay K, and thereafter eyeleted. Said stiffening-plates L are provided with holes V in their front edges of proper size to receive lacing-eyelets or hooks for use in drawing toward each other the free front ends of said stays K. Said stiffening-plates Z: also operate to distribute the pressure due to the pull of the stays K, thus pre enting excessive local pressure at any point. Said stiffening plates k are preferably metallic, whereby they may be bent to conform to the contour of the abdomen, or, if desired, other suitable stiff, reinforcing material may be used.

The different sections A, B, C, D, E, F of corset M and sections N, O, P, of stays K,'can be graded to build corsets in all regular standard stock sizes in small-waisted, medium-waisted, large-waisted, or straightfront models, while the bust-s and skirts can be of any desired height, length and shape to conform to a prevailing mode.

Any competent -corset'designer, understanding my invention, should be able tomodify both the shapes and numbers of my patterns and produce my results, for there is oossible an almost infinite variety of modifi- :ations in theshapes of the different sec- ;ions, which can produce both corsets and :orset-stays. Therefore, I do not limit my- :elf to the specific design Shown, but only how it as an illustration of how to achieve a mu result in an established art, a new prodict in an established line of manufacture.

Having thus fully described my invenion, the many advantages thereof will be pparent, especially to those skilled in the rt to which the invention pertains.

Having thus adequately described, in acordanee with the patent statutes, the nature f my invention and a specific embodiment nereof. what I claim as new and desire to :cure by Letters Patent is:

1, A corset comprising an outer corset iember and an inner abdominal belt memer, consisting solely of two opposed secons, which are securedinside of said corset ember from near the lower region thereof, ibstantially to the waist line, said belt embers embracing the hips and extending )wn under the lower front extremity of the )domen, being smaller in circumference an the corset member at the top of the belt line and becoming smaller comparatively, relatively to said corset member to the bottom of the belt, thereby giving uplift support to the abdomen by pressure inserted d1- agonally upwardly and rearwardly.

e 2. A corset comprising an outer corset member and an inner abdominal belt member, consisting solely of two opposed sections, which are secured inside of said corset member from near the lower region thereof,

substantially to the waist line, said beltmemhers being made up of a plurality of sections stitched together and shaped so as to embracethe hips and extend down under the lower front extremity of the abdomen, being smaller in circumference than the corset member at the top of the belt line and becoming smaller comparatively, relatively to said corset member to the bottom of the belt, therebygiving uplift support to the abdomen, by. pressure inserted diagonally upwardlyj'and rearwardly and being provided with stiffening plates effecting a limited front area only.

3. The combination with a corset, of a pair of abdomen supporters carried on the inside thereof, each supporter increasing in width vertically toward the rear and being secured to the rear part of the corset along end thereof to said corset, positioned thereon V in a downward-inclined direction, and being of greatest width at the point of attachment thereof to said corset, the adjacent, unattached ends of said stays diverging from the top thereof to the bottom.

5. The combination, with a corset, 'of a pair of abdomen-supporters each secured at one end thereof to said corset between the median side lines and the back edges thereof and each being of greatest width at its point of attachment to the corset; said stays being positioned in a downward-inclined direction, with their upper ends above and their lower ends substantially e en with the lower line of the abdomen when the corset is disposed on the figure of the wearer, the unattached front ends of said stays passing over the downward-receding abdominal curve when the corset and stays are adjusted to the wearers figure; and means for connecting the front ends of said stays.

G. The combination with. a corset, of a pair of abdomen supporters secured thereto.

each supporter consisting of three sections 13o stitched Cogether along their vertical edges, the TearmosL edge of the rear section being almost doub e the minimum height of the middle section, the front section being also section, the bottom edges of all of said sections forming a smooth curve, providing the 10 supporter with a concave lower edge.

H T H MI of less height than the relir section and hav- LG M MCCOR Y ing its forward lower corner reinforced by a \Vitnesses:

stiffening plate, having a rounded lower end 0. J. BAILEY,

extending below thebot-tom of said middle E. ALICE BAILEY,

0091c: of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01 Patch,

' Washington. D. C." 

